Pru Sanderson, in her groundbreaking ‘City of Kew Urban Conservation Study : Volume 2 - Development History’ (1988), summarised the periods of urban development and subdivisions of land in Kew. The periods that she identified included 1845-1880, 1880-1893, 1893-1921, 1921-1933, 1933-1943, and Post-War Development. These periods were selected as they represented periods of rapid growth or decline in urban development. An obvious starting point for Sanderson’s groupings involved population growth and the associated economic cycles. These cycles also highlighted urban expansion onto land that was predominantly rural, although in other cases it represented the decline and breakup of large estates. A number of the plans in the Kew Historical Society’s collection can also be found in other collections, such as those of the State Library of Victoria and the Boroondara Library Service. A number are however unique to the collection.The Kew Historical Society collection includes almost 100 subdivision plans pertaining to suburbs of the City of Melbourne. Most of these are of Kew, Kew East or Studley Park, although a smaller number are plans of Camberwell, Deepdene, Balwyn and Hawthorn. It is believed that the majority of the plans were gifted to the Society by persons connected with the real estate firm - J. R. Mathers and McMillan, 136 Cotham Road, Kew. The Plans in the collection are rarely in pristine form, being working plans on which the agent would write notes and record lots sold and the prices of these. The subdivision plans are historically significant examples of the growth of urban Melbourne from the beginning of the 20th Century up until the 1980s. A number of the plans are double-sided and often include a photograph on the reverse. A number of the latter are by noted photographers such as J.E. Barnes.The Altyre Estate was advertised for sale by auction in 1920. A colour lithograph in the State Library of Victoria, in contrast to this monochrome version, notes the proximity of the subdivision to the Auburn Heights Bowling Club and to a range of transport options. The subdivision included fifty-one allotments as well as the original house ‘Altyre’ in Barkers Road. This version includes the amounts paid as deposit on a number of lots.subdivision plans - kew, altyre estate – kew (vic), barkers road – kew (vic), walsh street – kew (vic), ross street – kew (vic), loxton street – kew (vic), mount street – kew (vic), auburn heights bowling club, altyre

The photograph offers significant information relating to late Victorian / Federation colour schemes and fencing.The block fronted villa has a corrugated iron roof and a flat projecting verandah, ornamented with a trellis design of timber. The front window features a timber shade, mounted on brackets. The treatment of the block-fronted panels shows that there is an attempt to highlight imitation quoining through use of a darker colour. The windows and door are also in this darker shade. The front fence and gate are made of wooden pickets. It is unlikely that the photograph was taken at the time of the villa's construction given the size of the shrub/tree in the front garden.Subdivision plans are historically important documents used as evidence of the growth of suburbs in Australia. They frequently provide information about when the land was sold on which a built structure was subsequently constructed as well as evidence relating to surveyors and real estate and financial agents. The numerous subdivision plans in the Kew Historical Society's collection represent working documents, ranging from the initial sketches made in planning a subdivision to printed plans on which auctioneers or agents listed the prices for which individual lots were sold. In a number of cases, the reverse of a subdivision plan in the collection includes a photograph of a house that was also for sale by the agent. These photographs provide significant heritage information relating house design and decoration, fencing and household gardens.A real estate photograph, mounted on brown card, showing a double fronted weatherboard villa, located in Kew, Victoria. On the reverse of the photograph is a subdivision plan for the Altyre Estate.Stamped on mount: Top - "KEW. Close tram. Fine View. / W.B. Villa Containing 8 Rooms. / Up-to-date Conveniences. EL Etc." Below - "Land 40 x 165. 615 pounds. Sold"houses - kew, real estate photographs

The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s. They were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system. The plans, at a scale of 40 feet to 1 inch (1:480), provide a detailed historical record of Melbourne streetscapes and environmental features. Each plan covers one or two street blocks (roughly six streets), showing details of buildings, including garden layouts and ownership boundaries, and features such as laneways, drains, bridges, parks, municipal boundaries and other prominent landmarks as they existed at the time each plan was produced. (Source: State Library of Victoria). This plan forms part of a large group of MMBW plans and maps that was donated to the Society by the Mr Poulter, City Engineer of the City of Kew in 1989. Within this collection, thirty-five hand-coloured plans, backed with linen, are of statewide significance as they include annotations that provide details of construction materials used in buildings in the first decade of the 20th century as well as additional information about land ownership and usage. The copies in the Public Record Office Victoria and the State Library of Victoria are monochrome versions which do not denote building materials so that the maps in this collection are invaluable and unique tools for researchers and heritage consultants. A number of the plans are not held in the collection of the State Library of Victoria so they have the additional attribute of rarity.Original survey plan, issued by the MMBW to a contractor with responsibility for constructing sewers in the area identified on the plan within the Borough of Kew. The plan was at some stage hand-coloured, possibly by the contractor, but more likely by officers working in the Engineering Department of the Borough and later Town, then City of Kew. The hand-coloured sections of buildings on the plan were used to denote masonry or brick constructions (pink), weatherboard constructions (yellow), and public buildings (grey). MMBW detail plan No.1562, in contrast to No.1561 includes the names of a large number of houses: in Barkers Road: ‘Ashwick’, ‘Owasso’, ‘Anadiha’, ‘Eurobin’, ‘Carlsruhe’, ‘Arlington’ and ‘Altyre’. Unnamed but clearly represented on the plan is what was then known as the ‘Auburn Heights Recreation Club’, which at this stage included a Bowling Green, a Croquet Green and two Tennis Courts. On the plan, Brougham Place, as it was then known, is represented. It was later renamed Daniell Place. The aforementioned Arlington is now the junior campus of Preshil. melbourne and metropolitan board of works, detail plans, mmbw 1562, cartography